Just like humans, dogs need to be vaccinated against serious illness. Veterinary nurse Samantha\u00a0Felton explains what vaccinations they need when <\/p>
It\u2019s important that dogs are vaccinated to protect them against\u00a0serious\u00a0diseases, says veterinary nurse Samantha\u00a0Felton. Puppies<\/a> are protected in the first few weeks of life due to immunity passed through their mum\u2019s milk, however, this quickly\u00a0fades\u00a0and they\u2019ll need their first vaccination\u00a0when they\u2019re\u00a0around eight weeks\u00a0old.\u00a0<\/p> They\u2019ll usually receive\u00a0a primary course of two injections given two to four weeks apart,\u00a0then\u00a0boosters\u00a0are\u00a0needed\u00a0to maintain protection.\u00a0<\/p> Routine vaccinations protect against four contagious, potentially life-threatening diseases:<\/p> \u2022\u00a0Canine distemper\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 A highly contagious virus that affects the digestive, skin, breathing, immune and nervous systems, and\u00a0is spread through infected bodily fluids, such as saliva,\u00a0urine\u00a0and blood. There\u2019s no cure for this virus; some dogs will recover with intensive treatment, but many, sadly, do not survive. Thankfully, vaccinations have made\u00a0it\u00a0less common in the UK.<\/p> \u2022\u00a0Infectious canine hepatitis\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Attacks the liver and other major organs\u00a0and is\u00a0also spread through infected bodily fluids. There is no cure, but symptoms may be managed in mild cases. Severe cases can develop liver failure and, unfortunately, may not survive.<\/p> \u2022\u00a0Parvovirus\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>A\u00a0serious disease caught when dogs\u00a0come into\u00a0contact with infected dog poo and bodily fluids. Parvovirus causes severe vomiting,\u00a0diarrhoea and dehydration.\u00a0Young dogs are particularly\u00a0susceptible\u00a0and some areas of the UK have higher numbers of cases than others.<\/p> \u2022\u00a0Leptospirosis\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 A bacterial infection carried by cows, dogs and rodents, dogs can catch it by\u00a0swimming in or drinking contaminated water or being in contact with infected\u00a0urine. It attacks the vital organs and can also be spread to humans.<\/p> While\u00a0a puppy\u2019s\u00a0first injection is usually given at around eight weeks of age,\u00a0in some circumstances\u00a0they\u00a0may start vaccinations as young as four to six weeks old\u00a0\u2013 speak\u00a0to your vet for guidance\u00a0on this. The puppy will be protected against disease two to four weeks after the second injection.<\/p> It\u2019s\u00a0important that puppies\u00a0do not walk around in public areas,\u00a0or anywhere unvaccinated dogs may have been\u00a0until they are fully vaccinated, and their\u00a0final vaccine has had time to work.\u00a0This is\u00a0generally around a week after their second vaccination,\u00a0however,\u00a0be aware that\u00a0certain places, such as waterways and farmland can pose a higher risk, and you may need to wait up to a month after\u00a0the\u00a0final vaccine before exploring freely. Your vet will be\u00a0able to advise you, based on\u00a0your puppy\u2019s individual situation and any risks in your local area.<\/p> To\u00a0maintain immunity,\u00a0dogs need to be vaccinated every year for\u00a0leptospirosis and every three years for\u00a0canine\u00a0distemper,\u00a0parvovirus\u00a0and\u00a0canine\u00a0infectious\u00a0hepatitis.<\/p> If your dog will be mixing with other dogs, it\u2019s sensible to\u00a0also\u00a0get them vaccinated for\u00a0kennel\u00a0cough. While it doesn\u2019t tend to cause serious illness,\u00a0it\u00a0can cause a nasty, honking cough and is very contagious. To minimise the risk,\u00a0a\u00a0yearly vaccination is required, and vaccines should be given at least three weeks before your dog goes into kennels.<\/p> Your dog will\u00a0need a rabies vaccination\u00a0if you plan to take\u00a0them on holiday\u00a0with you.\u00a0Rabies is a life-threatening and often fatal infection of the brain and nerves\u00a0and,\u00a0while it\u2019s\u00a0not normally found in the UK,\u00a0vaccination is\u00a0essential if your\u00a0dog\u00a0is going\u00a0abroad. Dogs must be at least 12 weeks of age to receive this vaccine\u00a0and they can\u2019t travel until at least 21 days\u00a0afterwards.\u00a0Your vet can give you more information about this.<\/p> Your\u00a0vet will give\u00a0your dog\u00a0a full health check and record their weight. They\u2019ll\u00a0discuss any concerns with you and, providing your dog is well, will give them a small injection,\u00a0usually under the skin on the back of the neck. Your vet will then fill in your dog\u2019s vaccination card and advise you on when the next injection is required.<\/p> Most dogs show no symptoms after\u00a0having a\u00a0vaccination.\u00a0Mild signs, such as being a little quiet or less interested in food are sometimes seen. Sometimes, a small swelling can be felt at the scruff of the neck where the vaccine was given and will usually go down.\u00a0If you\u2019re unsure, call your vet.<\/p> Serious vaccine reactions are rare, and the risks are far outweighed by the protection vaccines offer. Any vaccine reactions can be reported online to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by vets or dog owners.<\/p> If your dog ever seems unwell after a vaccine or you are worried about them having a vaccine, reach out to your vet for further advice and support.<\/p> When your dog is vaccinated, your vet will give you a vaccination record card. Keep this safe as you will need\u00a0it when you\u00a0take your\u00a0puppy\u00a0to\u00a0training classes; when your dog has further vaccinations; and if\u00a0you put your dog in kennels.<\/p> If you are concerned that your dog is not vaccinated or has gone over a year between booster vaccinations, then speak to your vet. If there is no evidence to suggest they are vaccinated, or it has been too long since their last booster,\u00a0it is often safest to start the primary vaccination course from scratch.\u00a0<\/p> Generally, as pets get older, they can become more vulnerable to infections and may find it harder to fight off diseases if they become unwell. For this reason, it\u2019s\u00a0sensible to ensure elderly pets keep up to date with their vaccinations unless otherwise advised by your vet.<\/p> If you have any questions about vaccinating your pet, speak to your vet for further advice.<\/strong><\/p> Love dogs? Check out our\u00a0pets section<\/a>\u00a0for advice on a variety of topics from\u00a0how to housetrain your puppy\u00a0<\/a>to\u00a0how to get rid of fleas<\/a><\/strong><\/p> Samantha\u00a0Felton is deputy\u00a0head nurse\u00a0at Beechwood Veterinary Group\u00a0in Leeds.\u00a0Samantha\u00a0qualified\u00a0as a veterinary nurse in\u00a02019 and\u00a0her role\u00a0includes surgical nursing, carrying out nurse consultations and caring for the patients within the hospital<\/em>.<\/p>What vaccinations do dogs need?<\/h2>
When should puppies have their first vaccination?<\/h2>
How often do dogs need vaccinating?<\/h2>
Do I need to vaccinate against kennel cough? <\/strong><\/h2>
Do I need to vaccinate my dog against rabies?<\/h2>
What happens at a vaccination appointment?<\/strong><\/h2>
Will my dog feel poorly after their vaccinations?<\/strong><\/h2>
Vaccine record cards<\/strong><\/h2>
What do I do if my dog misses a booster?<\/h2>
Do elderly dogs still need to be vaccinated?<\/strong><\/h2>